When to neuter a young snuffle bun?

I have managed to find a gorgous little girl with snuffles who would be a perfect match for Milo. She is rather small, around 850g and is just under 5 months old. I would really want to get her neutered to eliminate the cancer risk and to stop any broody behaviour but when would I need to do this? before i bond her to milo? cos if i have to seperate them I will have to bond them all over again. But is it possible that she is too small to safely undergo an anaesthetic, especially as she has snuffles?

I havent definately said I will have her yet but I really want to offer her a home. I just wanted to try and get this neutering business cleared up before i definately accept her. Would it be a good idea to get the rescue to neuter her before she comes to me if i offer to pay? The lady looking after her doesnt seem to think it is neccessary yet as she hasnt fully reached puberty.

I will also be needing a bunny run to be organised, as she is in kent and i am in Leicester so if anyone is going that way or several people doing different bits of the journey then please shout out. Lindsay (mikeymoo) has already very kindly offered her services. So if anyone else would be able to help I would be extremely grateful.

I will try and post a photo of her shortly. She is a very cute little snuffle bun.

Nicola xx

Here she is

She doesn't have to be neutered to be bonded. Getting the boy done is the most important bit. It might be a little more difficult but as you're bringing her into his home rather than him into hers it should be okay.

If you get her neutered later you don't need to seperate them unless he's anoying her. If he is putting her in a crate or a run next to him should be enough to keep them bonded.

Tam

How about if its a boy with snuffles? I have a boy that needs to be neatured and then getting him a girlfriend!

thanks

hi

Aww - she's gorgeous - go get that bunny!

Like Tamsin says - main thing is that the boy is neutered - many rescues and homes pair up unspayed female with neutered boy and it works just fine - The cancer statistic is based on an old survey of a related family of rabbits - the risk being that you don't know the genetics behind your rabbits - do they share roots with rabbits who had this genetic tendency?...so it's better safe than sorry to get them spayed.

With a snuffly bunny I would say you have to weigh up the risks - Is she more at risk from dying under anaesthetic, or is she more at risk from getting cancer after she's 4yrs old? Only you can decide if she's yours - I haven't spayed my 6 girls and might not bother as their behaviour isn't a problem - If I spot signs of a problem, like bleeding, loss of weight, etc, I will get their wombs checked out as a first possiblity - You can spay bunnies when older, although they do get more fat around the ovaries etc.

wow she looks like my Smokey

well i have just emailed to say i would definately like to rehome her so just waiting for a reply. i was told she contracted the snuffles when she was tiny - between 1 and 2 weeks old and they didnt think she would pull through but she is obviously a little fighter.
I am really attached to her already and have given her a name (she was just known as little snuffle at the rescue). i am going to call her Misty, i think it suits her really well.

oooh i am so excited. please please can people help with a bunny run? anybody in that area travelling northward sometime soon? Pleeeease!!!!

Misty is a lovely name for her!

Dont you think they would make a stunning couple?

Just let me know about the bunny run- would be willing to help

What a cute little bunny!! When I have had to have a 'snuffles' bunny put under GA my vet always puts them on 3 days of Baytril prior to surgery. Although it will not 'cure' snuffles it hopefully reduces the risk of the infection worsening to a pneumonia due to the stress of the GA etc. I also use AVIPRO-PLUS probiotic in buns drinking water and make sure they are eating LOTS of good quality hay. So far non of my snuffles bunnies have failed to survive the GA. JCO

JCO that's good to know, was worrued about mine not surviving it!

Hi
I was really worried about my snuffly bun going under anasthetic for his neutering. I put it off until he was over a year old, but then his hormonal behaviour got too much and it was a choice between him living outdoors where he couldn't spray on the furniture or him being neutered.

The vet checked his breathing etc., and didn't have any major worries about putting him under anasthetic, my vet is really experienced with rabbits, so I decided to go ahead with the operation. My rabbit didn't have baytril or anything before the operation.

He came through the operation with no complications at all . I was also worried the stress of the operation would make his snuffles worse, but it didn't .

If you're not sure, then if you (or the rescue) have a vet you really trust, I would just follow their advice about getting your bun speyed/ neutered, my vet has a lot more experience of rabbits than I do, and I'm glad I followed his advice as my rabbit is much happier since his operation!!

Good luck! (and the snuffly girlbun is gorgeous BTW!)
Kate and Jack
x

well Alfie is on antibiotics for 2 weeks and then I am taking him to the vets to be checked over, the vet will then see if he is able to be neatured! am desperate to get him a friend!!